Editor's Note

The Charge

Real brothers. Real band. Not really naked.

The Case

Why am I being punished like this? What sin did I commit? Have I turned into
a curmudgeon at the ripe old age of 31? These profound and soul searching
questions are not posed anywhere in The Naked Brothers Band: Season 2,
but they are questions I asked myself many times while watching this painfully
tedious and unfunny show.

Season 2 of the continuing antics of the pre-teen band led by Nat and Alex
Wolff is presented on two discs:

I cannot understate how much I disliked The Naked Brothers Band: Season
2. I started to cringe at the first scene of the first episode. My annoyance
increased exponentially with every passing minute and every passing episode and
every passing song.

What drives my disdain for this wannabe fusion of This Is Spinal Tap, A Hard Day's Night, and The
Monkees? The problems are many. From a school dance to a bar mitzvah to a
county fair to Cleveland and beyond, the plots make little sense…if they
make sense at all (e.g., why would a rock band play at a county fair?). The
dialogue and jokes are lame (let's have the kids dress-up in drag!). The songs
are irritating (I dare not quote one lest my head explode). And, last, but not
least, the acting is amateurish with gaping mouths, awkward pauses, and halting
speech. Unprofessional acting is not necessarily a bad thing, but given both the
lack of material and direction, it's a huge liability in the case of the The
Naked Brothers Band.

There's really nothing positive I can say to recommend the show and just
writing about it makes my eyes red. If you want to read a complimentary review
take a gander at Judge Adam Arseneau's review of The Naked Brothers Band:
Polar Bears and/or Judge Brett Cullum's review of The Naked Brothers
Band: The Movie.

I will say this, however, in my opinion, given that the purpose of the show
is to highlight the musical talent of Nat and Alex Wolff (the brothers write the
songs for the show), the series would probably be much more compelling as a real
documentary than the poorly produced fictional series that has been made.

With a full frame transfer and stereo sound, the audio and video
presentations are fine. There's nothing fancy here, but nothing to complain
about either. The picture and sound are clear.

There are some uninspiring extras on Disc 2. First, there are music videos
for songs "I Don't Want To Go To School," "Mystery Girl,"
"Changing," "Everybody's Cried," "Body I Occupy,"
and "And Then There's You." Then there is the "Long Burp
Contest," a short which features band members doing exactly as titled.
Last, there are the two "Behind-The-Scenes" extras about "Spoon
Flicking" and "Making A Sandwich."

Given that this show is in its third season, I have no choice but to assume
that is somewhat popular with kids. The cause of such popularity is completely
beyond my comprehension. However, I am certain that adults and anyone above the
age of 12 will find The Naked Brothers Band unwatchable.

If your kids, or the children of someone you know, watch this show, it is
your civic duty to turn the television off.